Longing for Spring!

March is here and Spring is so close I can't stand it. Spring means Summer is on the way, which means sun and playing outside! The rain and gray skies around here can get to me after a while. I think the kids and I are all ready for some days outside. In thinking about Spring and Summer, there are some things I need (and/or want) to do to get ready.

First of all, I want to get some yard toys for the kids to play with. Dorothy was quick to notice the empty yard when we moved in, so I told her we'd bring over some toys from Grandma's house and maybe try to find some things at a yard sale as the weather gets nicer.

Secondly, I'd like to get an affordable BBQ or grill and some patio furniture. I'm thinking chicken and veggie kabobs on the grill are sounding really good! I'd love to be able to sit outside and enjoy our little back yard this summer.

Third, I want to set up a good sized clothes line to dry on, especially since my indoor rack is broken now. I'm thinking that as long as it's not raining, I can hang the clothes and diapers outside and they'll dry faster. I might just have to read the weather reports more often so I can plan for the (few) dry days we get. I'm still planning on doing some drying indoors once I find a good, durable solution.

Lastly, I am really excited to start reading up on gardening. I want to grow as many veggies as I can, but I've never done it on my own before. I'll be using some containers and possibly a raised bed if the landlords will allow one out front. I'm hoping to start the seeds indoors and transfer them when the time is right. Which, of course, I don't know when that is, so I'll have to learn about that, too. This is something that I want to get the kids involved in, too. They'll really enjoy watching the sprouts grow and change, and I'm sure getting dirty in the mud will be right up Charlotte's alley.

March is our third month using a budget. We should be getting our taxes done soon, with which we hope to get the credit card paid off so we can start working on the car loan. With the rest of it, we are pitching in for a much-needed weekend beach trip in Sept/Oct with David's entire immediate family... his parents, his two brothers, his sister and her husband, their two kids, plus David and I and our three kids. It will be a full house! If there is anything left to work with, I'm wanting to get some stuff to start the garden as well as a grain mill for grinding our own grain for baking. Yum!

For today, I am working on housework. I'm also finishing up decorating the kids' rooms. My mom found some really cute pictures and shelves for both rooms and I can't wait to get them up. William's room will be a real jungle scene when it's done. When David gets home, I'm going to Gleaner's since I was too wiped out to go on Monday. As soon as I get home from that, we're heading out to small group at church. Long, busy day for sure.

Tuesday's Tasties
B: Cereal and peanut butter toast.
L: Chinese noodle stir fry.
D: My mom brought over some rye bread yesterday, so David ran to the store to get some fixins for reuben sandwiches. He even fixed them up for us. What a guy! They tasted great.

Wolf-it-Down Wednesday
B: Cereal, oranges, and peaches.
L: Reuben sandwiches again!
D: I pulled some spanish rice out of the freezer and I'll make some guacamole to go with chips on the side.